Baked Chicken Karaage Recipe

Chicken karaage is a traditional Japanese dish of marinated fried chicken, but this variation is baked in the oven as a healthier alternative.

Karaage can often be found as an appetizer, on the menu of Japanese restaurants, or izakaya (tapas style restaurants), but it can also be found in bento boxes at the deli section of Japanese supermarkets.

The Japanese term "karaage" is a type of cooking technique where foods are seasoned with ingredients such as soy sauce, ginger, or garlic, then coated with potato starch and deep fried. 

The karaage style of cooking is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "tatsutaage," which is also a Japanese cooking style for seasoning, coating, and deep frying foods.

To make chicken karaage, the chicken is first marinated in a savory blend of soy sauce, ginger, and seasonings. Because the soy sauce is quickly absorbed, the time required to marinate the chicken is minimized and can be completed within 15 to 20 minutes for a mild to medium flavor. Of course, marinating time also depends on your taste preferences. The meat can be marinated for up to 2 hours, but expect the chicken to be quite salty.

This baked version of the traditional chicken karaage recipe, calls for katakuriko (potato starch or arrowroot powder), which is commonly used as a thickener in Japanese cooking. Substitutes for potato starch include corn starch or even flour, but where the potato starch is light, both cornstarch and flour are slightly thicker. For the purpose of this recipe, all three ingredients may be used interchangeably, although potato starch offers a more authentic texture.

Baked chicken karaage can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish, main dish, or as an item in a bento (lunch box). It is kid-friendly and also proves to be a great dish for parties or potlucks.